I
n his 1932 novel "Brave New
World," writer Aldous Huxley
imagines a future society that
is built partly upon the idea
that conformity is necessary
for a peaceful existence. While
Huxley's dystopian tale does
not specifically mention mo-
torcycles, one wonders if he
might have envisioned a day in
which all two-wheeled machines
perform, sound and even look
alike—so much so that even the
most discerning motorcyclist
must look closely for a brand
name on a decal in order to dis-
tinguish one cycle from another?
In Huxley's words, a "swarming
indistinguishable sameness."
Motorcycling was once
a world comprised of many
variations of two-wheeled
machines. The battle for street
supremacy was being waged by
motorcycles powered by both
two-cylinder four-strokes and
four-cylinder two-strokes—with
some manufacturers offering
three-cylinder machines in both
configurations! Meanwhile, out
in the trenches, there were vari-
ous models of more two-strokes
and four-strokes, singles and
twins, each claiming off road
superiority over their opponents.
This world of many motor
-
cycles stretched out to include
even the little people. The
mighty Honda Z50 four-stroke
Mini-Trail may have sat on the
throne, but Suzuki had designs
on the crown. Their weapon of
choice to capture a slice of the
burgeoning minicycle market
was the MT50 Trailhopper.
In 1971, just as Honda was
known as a four-strokes-only
company, Suzuki was equally
as committed to the two-stroke
design. The Trailhopper bor
-
rowed its engine from Suzuki's
step-through 50, and it featured
an automatic clutch for easy
shifting through its three-speed
transmission. With Suzuki's CCI
(crankcase cylinder injection), a
separate oil pump squirted two-
stroke lubricant at key engine
internals, thus eliminating the
need for mixing gasoline and oil.
Then and now, the little Suzuki
is a futuristic-looking machine.
Stylish body work hiding the fuel
tank makes the Trailhopper far
too snazzy for Huxley's World
CNIIARCHIVES
P122
MT50 TRAILHOPPER
SUZUKI'S
BY KENT TAYLOR
Kimberly Wright
and her dear Suzuki
MT50 Trailhopper.
